A doctor has outlined three key strategies for individuals at risk of diabetes to prevent the condition – and even reverse it. According to Yahoo News
Speaking on Steven Bartlett’s podcast, ‘Diary of a CEO’, Dr. Robert Lustig, a professor of pediatric endocrinology at the University of California, San Francisco, shared insights into managing blood sugar levels.
Dr. Lustig, who is an expert in the field of sugar’s role in contributing to diabetes, obesity, and metabolic syndrome, emphasized that diabetes can be turned around by enhancing insulin production and the liver’s insulin sensitivity. He advocates for diets such as the ketogenic diet, paleo diet, and intermittent fasting as effective methods to manage diabetes.
By adopting these dietary approaches, individuals can significantly cut down their consumption of refined carbs and sugars, aiding the liver in burning off excess fat. This process not only promotes weight loss but also helps in reducing blood sugar levels.
Dr Lustig said: “Numerous studies of various diets show that you can absolutely reverse type 2 diabetes. In order to do so, you have to get the pancreas to make insulin properly and the only way to do that is to get the liver to respond to insulin properly.”
He said: “One way is to not challenge the liver, give the liver a rest while it’s metabolizing all that refined carbohydrate and sugar. Drop the refined carbohydrates and sugar and make your liver work better.
“So ketogenic diets are the extreme version of this. But it’s not the only way. Paleo diet is another way and intermittent fasting will give your liver a chance to burn off the fat that’s accumulated over the last 16 hours.”
The ketogenic, or ‘keto’, diet is known for being high in fats, moderate in proteins, and extremely low in carbohydrates, aiming to shift the body into a state of ketosis to burn fat for energy. Originally developed to help children with drug-resistant epilepsy by reducing seizure frequency and severity, the keto diet has now gained popularity for its weight loss benefits.
The paleo diet encourages eating like our ancestors with a focus on natural foods such as grass-fed meats, fish, fruits, vegetables, nuts, and seeds. It can help maintain low sugar and salt levels while eliminating processed foods. reports Wales Online.
The diet is said to aid in keeping sugar and salt levels low, plus, the elimination of processed, refined foods. Studies have shown that the paleo diet can provide various health benefits – including weight loss, improved blood sugar control, and a reduction in the risk factors for heart disease, type II diabetes, and obesity.
Intermittent fasting differs from other diets by emphasizing the timing of meals rather than their content, involving periods of voluntary abstinence from food and drink, which can also contribute to fat loss and health improvements.
According to Science Focus, The method works by extending the period when your body has used up the calories from your last meal and starts burning fat. It’s crucial to consult with your doctor before making any significant diet and lifestyle changes, including intermittent fasting.
In the episode, Dr Lustig cautioned that for some people, simply restricting calories may not be enough to reverse diabetes. He attributes this largely to leptin resistance, which can take years to improve.
Leptin is a hormone produced by fat cells that signals to the brain when the body has sufficient energy. When leptin levels are low, the brain stimulates hunger and reduces energy expenditure to conserve resources.
Leptin resistance is a rare condition where the body has high levels of leptin, but the brain does not respond to it. This can lead to excessive hunger and decreased activity.
